Joe Biden wears a Rolex Datejust 36 — most likely reference 126300 in Oystersteel with a blue dial — a gift from First Lady Jill Biden.
Quick answer The 46th president’s everyday watch is a Rolex Datejust 36, most commonly identified as ref. 126300 in Oystersteel with a blue sunray-finish dial and Oyster bracelet. Jill Biden gave it to him as a gift. The widely repeated story that the watch belonged to Biden’s late son Beau has been rated false by Snopes — a White House spokesperson confirmed the watch came from Jill. Biden wore it consistently throughout his 2020 presidential campaign and across his four-year term.
Biden’s Rolex Datejust 36
The Datejust has been Rolex’s benchmark dress watch since 1945, and Biden’s choice fits his public image well: recognizable, understated, and exactly the kind of watch a lot of successful American men of his generation have on their wrists. The specific reference he wears is the current-generation Datejust 36, introduced in 2016 as the ref. 126300 — an update to the long-running 116200 that brought in the newer Calibre 3235 movement.
Photographs from his campaign appearances and presidency show Biden wearing a 36mm watch with a smooth Oystersteel case, a blue sunray-finish dial, and an Oyster bracelet. The Datejust 36 ref. 126300 matches all of those details. Watch outlet Monochrome Watches identified it as the 126300 specifically, and that’s the consensus among the publications that have looked at the available photographs.
The 36mm case size is worth noting in context. For most of the twentieth century, 36mm was the standard for a men’s dress watch. Today it reads as smaller alongside the 40mm-and-up trend that has dominated the market, but it suits Biden’s build and his overall style. Nothing flashy, nothing that draws attention away from the person wearing it.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Rolex |
| Model | Datejust 36 |
| Reference | 126300 (reported) |
| Case size | 36mm |
| Case material | Oystersteel |
| Dial | Blue sunray-finish |
| Bezel | Smooth Oystersteel (domed) |
| Bracelet | Oyster |
| Movement | Calibre 3235 (self-winding) |
| Water resistance | 100m / 330ft |
| Approximate retail price | $7,150 (current list price) |
Where to buy
Compare the same watch on both sites: eBay for pre-owned and vintage pieces, Amazon for new stock.
Rolex Datejust 36 (ref. 126300)
Tudor Black Bay 36 Alternative
Prices and availability change; check the listing before you buy.
The Beau Biden Story — and Why It’s Wrong
The origin story of Biden’s Rolex got tangled somewhere along the way. During the 2020 campaign cycle, social media posts and several blogs began claiming that Biden was wearing a Rolex that had belonged to his son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015. The story spread widely because it tapped into something emotionally coherent — Biden has spoken about Beau throughout his public life, and the idea of carrying a father’s grief on his wrist had obvious resonance.
The problem is it was not true. Snopes investigated the claim and rated it false. A White House spokesperson confirmed that the watch was a gift from Jill Biden to her husband — not a keepsake from Beau. The Beau Biden watch story is a textbook case of a plausible-sounding detail attaching itself to a real and sympathetic figure and circulating as established fact.
This matters for anyone trying to understand the watch itself. The appeal of the Beau narrative was partly that it explained why a career politician known for his middle-class positioning would wear a Rolex at all. The actual explanation is simpler: his wife gave it to him. Jill Biden selecting a Rolex Datejust for a husband who would be on camera at every public moment makes practical sense — it’s a watch that photographs well, reads as serious without reading as ostentatious, and will hold up through years of daily wear.
Which Reference? The 126300 vs. 126334 Question
Watch journalists have broadly agreed on the Datejust 36, but the exact reference number has generated some debate in the coverage. Monochrome Watches identified ref. 126300, which is the all-Oystersteel version of the current 36mm Datejust. The Robb Report described the watch as featuring Oystersteel and white gold elements — a description that would better fit ref. 126334, which pairs an Oystersteel case and bracelet with a white gold bezel and typically costs several thousand dollars more.
Looking at the available photographs, the smooth bezel appears to be polished Oystersteel rather than white gold, which points to the 126300. But watch identification from photographs is not an exact science, and neither publication had hands-on access to the watch. The honest answer is that ref. 126300 is the best current identification, with the caveat that some details remain unconfirmed.
The practical distinction matters mostly to collectors. Mechanically, both versions run the same Calibre 3235 movement — a 70-hour power reserve, chronometer certification, and a date wheel at three o’clock. Both will run accurately for decades with regular servicing.
When Biden Has Been Spotted Wearing It
Biden’s Datejust first became a regular subject of discussion during the 2020 Democratic primary campaign. Photographs from rally appearances and debate stages showed the same watch on his wrist consistently, and the repetition made identification easier — the more angles and lighting conditions available, the more certain the reference becomes.
He continued wearing it through his presidency, from January 2021 to January 2025. A watch that sees daily use through that kind of schedule — international summits, state dinners, press conferences, multiple overseas trips per year — earns its reputation. The Datejust 36’s case, bracelet, and crystal are built for exactly this kind of long-haul daily wear.
In photographs from earlier in Biden’s career — his Senate years and his two terms as vice president under Obama — he was sometimes photographed wearing other pieces, including what appeared to be simpler quartz watches. The Datejust appears to have become his consistent everyday choice by the time the 2020 campaign began.
Biden’s Watch Among American Presidents
American presidents have a historically complicated relationship with expensive watches. The office carries clear associations with public service and shared sacrifice, and a conspicuously costly watch can undercut that message. Most presidents have navigated this in their own way.
The closest parallel to Biden’s choice is Ronald Reagan, who wore a Rolex Datejust in Oystersteel throughout much of his presidency — the same basic watch, from the same manufacturer, separated by roughly four decades of production history. Reagan’s was an earlier reference, but the underlying logic of the choice — a classic, single-metal Datejust — is nearly identical to Biden’s.
Barack Obama took the opposite approach, wearing a Jorg Gray 6500 given to him by the Secret Service before his first inauguration. The Jorg Gray retails for under $200. Obama wore it conspicuously and loyally for years, and the choice sent a clear message about how he wanted to be perceived.
Donald Trump wears a Rolex Day-Date — the flagship of the Rolex lineup — in yellow gold, a considerably more expensive and visually prominent choice. Biden’s Datejust in Oystersteel reads much closer to Reagan’s sensibility than to Trump’s: it’s a Rolex, but the most understated version of one.
Bill Clinton wore a Timex Ironman for much of his presidency, leaning into the same everyman logic as Obama. Biden’s Rolex sits somewhere between those poles — expensive enough to be a real watch, restrained enough not to function as a statement piece.
FAQ
What watch does Joe Biden wear?
Joe Biden wears a Rolex Datejust 36, most commonly identified as reference 126300 in Oystersteel with a blue dial and Oyster bracelet. The watch was a gift from First Lady Jill Biden.
Did Biden inherit his Rolex from Beau Biden?
No. This claim was investigated by Snopes and rated false. A White House spokesperson confirmed that the watch was a gift from Jill Biden to her husband, not a keepsake from their late son Beau Biden, who died in 2015.
What is the Rolex Datejust 36 ref. 126300?
The ref. 126300 is the all-Oystersteel version of Rolex’s current 36mm Datejust, introduced in 2016. It features a smooth Oystersteel bezel, an Oyster bracelet, and Rolex’s Calibre 3235 self-winding movement. The current retail list price is approximately $7,150.
How much is Biden’s Rolex worth?
The Rolex Datejust 36 in Oystersteel (ref. 126300) has a current retail list price of approximately $7,150. On the secondary market, the same reference typically trades near or above list price, reflecting Rolex’s consistent demand.
Did Biden wear other watches before the Datejust?
Earlier in his career, Biden was photographed wearing what appeared to be simpler timepieces, including quartz watches. The Rolex Datejust became his consistent daily watch by the time of his 2020 presidential campaign and remained on his wrist throughout his presidency.
How does Biden’s watch compare to other presidents?
Ronald Reagan wore a Rolex Datejust in Oystersteel, making him the closest presidential parallel to Biden. Barack Obama wore a Jorg Gray given by the Secret Service, worth under $200. Donald Trump wears a Rolex Day-Date in yellow gold. Bill Clinton wore a Timex Ironman during his presidency.
Sources
- Monochrome Watches: Joe Biden Wears a Rolex Datejust 36, Ref. 126300
- Robb Report: The Story Behind President Biden’s Rolex Datejust
- Snopes: Was Biden’s Rolex a Gift from His Late Son Beau?
- Rolex: Datejust 36 (ref. 126300)
- The White House: President Joe Biden